An examination of issues pertaining to knowledge, reality and morality. Issues examined might include the following: Can we know anything? Does God exist? Is morality merely personal opinion?
An introduction to a number of formative philosophical traditions from different cultures, e.g., Africana, Aztec, Buddhist, Confucian, Daoist, Indian, Islamic, and other philosophies.
An introduction to moral reasoning about issues such as drug use, capital punishment, world hunger, animal rights, internet privacy, discrimination and sexual morality.
An introduction to deductive and inductive reasoning. Students will develop their creative and critical thinking skills while learning to avoid common fallacies in the contexts of decision-making and problem-solving.
An introduction to philosophy focused on the thought of one or two classical or contemporary figures, e.g. Kierkegaard & Socrates, Zhuangzi, Nietzsche, Ortega y Gassett, John Rawls & Martha Nussbaum.
A study of the major figures in ancient Greek philosophy from the pre-Socratics to the end of the Hellenistic period.
A study of the major figures in Western philosophy from Augustine to William of Ockham, including Christian, Muslim, and Jewish philosophers.
A study of the major figures in modern Western philosophy from Descartes through Kant.
A study of the major texts and figures in pre-Han China from Kongzi to Han Feizi.
An introduction to moral reasoning about issues that arise in a medical context, e.g., abortion, euthanasia, health care professional-patient relationships, research on human subjects, and health-care access.
An exploration of selected topics in the philosophy of religion, e.g., religious experience, faith and reason, the existence and nature of God, religion and science, and the problem of evil.
An introduction to philosophy of science focused on questions about its nature, methods and goals, e.g., What distinguishes science from pseudo-science? What constitutes the ‘scientific method?' What is scientific objectivity?
Offerings under this heading will focus on areas of philosophical interest not regularly covered at the 300 level (e.g., Philosophy of Mind).
Explore theories of environmental value; understand and evaluate the ethical implications of environmental choices and policies.
A first course in formal logic. Topics include calculi and artificial languages, the logistic method, truth functions, propositional calculi, calculi for first order logic, and a semantics for first order logic.
Topics could include modal logic; logical metatheory; axiomatic approaches to formal logic; identity, terms, and formalized theories; or higher-order logics.
In-depth examination of selected topics in normative ethics and meta-ethics (e.g., the nature of moral values, the possibility of moral knowledge, the structure of moral reasoning).
In-depth examination of selected topics in social and political philosophy (e.g. the concept of political obligation, freedom and dissent, equality and justice, human rights).
This course offers a survey of competing philosophical, political, and epistemological feminist frameworks for understanding gender inequality, examining how feminist theories both build on and critique Western philosophical traditions.
This course provides opportunities to explore specific topics within value theory or public policy (e.g., aesthetics, bioethics, environmental policy, or professional ethics).
Explores the philosophical problems generated by thinking about law (e.g., the nature of law, the relationship between law and morality, the normative justifications for criminal and tort law, etc.).
This course provides opportunities to explore specific topics within metaphysics and epistemology (e.g., causation, epistemic injustice, modality, or social epistemology).
Explores metaphysical and epistemological questions that arise in contexts involving race. In what sense is race real? Is the race of a person epistemologically significant?
Explores metaphysical and epistemological issues surrounding the topic of personal identity, and may consider questions raised by cloning, artificial intelligence, disability, death, race and gender among others.
This course will use the medium of science fiction (both literature and film) to provide a foundational understanding of several main topics in Metaphysics and Epistemology, including Time, Persistence and Identity, Time Travel, Causation, Free Will, Modality/Possible Worlds, and Skepticism.
Special Notes
PHIL 375 cannot be retaken for credit if
PHIL 371 “Science Fiction and Philosophy” title was taken in Spring 2021.
In-depth examination of selected topics in theory of knowledge (e.g., the nature and limits of human knowledge, knowledge and belief, doubt and certainty, perception and intuition, faith and justification).
In-depth examination of selected topics in metaphysics (e.g., the nature of space and time, particulars and universals, the different senses of 'being,' substance, causality, identity and difference).
Individualized investigation under the direct supervision of a faculty member. (Minimum of 37.5 clock hours required per credit hour.)
Special Notes
Maximum concurrent enrollment is two times.
Practical training in academic research or public philosophy. Minimum 37.5 clock hours per credit hour. S/U graded.
Detailed investigation of a specific philosophical issue. Substantial independent research and at least one oral presentation required.